Richmond, a small port city in California’s Bay Area, is currently at the center of a bizarre phenomenon that’s baffling both residents and officials alike: an unexplained spate of exploding birds.
First reported by ABC7 News, residents told the outlet that they first noticed birds turning up dead several months ago, and have since witnessed them appearing to “explode” in mid-air. According to those residents, over 50 birds in the area have died in this way, with one incident being captured by security cameras.
The contents of that footage and the contained area in which the birds have been found has led some to speculate that the deaths have something to do with a particular stretch of the neighborhood’s powerlines; it shows a bird landing on one, followed by a loud pop and the bird falling down.
Mark Hoehner, a Richmond resident, was witness to a similar incident. “It sounded like a firecracker, and a black bird – a starling – just plummeted to the ground,” Hoehner told ABC7. “I’ve been under the birds when it happens, and I know where the sound is coming from. It’s coming from up on the pole.”
Reports were filed with the local police, who requested that PG&E, the company responsible for the powerlines, conduct an inspection. However, PG&E has stated that it “does not believe that there was an issue with our electrical equipment,” and that “the pole at issue is compliant with avian safe standards.”
The company also mentioned that it had been in contact with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), asking it to examine “several” of the dead birds. The CDFW has since released its own statement to ABC7, noting that it had only received two birds to evaluate – but also reaching the conclusion that electrocution didn’t appear to be at play.
“CDFW’s Wildlife Health Lab staff found no signs of electrocution in the collected birds,” reads the statement. “The birds did show injuries consistent with trauma that could possibly have been caused by [a] pellet gun, BB gun, or a slingshot. CDFW also received photos of other dead birds found at the location that showed injuries consistent with trauma.”
While the “pop” sound that several residents have heard could be attributed to something like a BB gun going off, this mystery is far from solved. “The exact cause of the trauma to all of these birds could not be determined,” said the CDFW. “CDFW wildlife officers are investigating.”
One thing is for sure, though – it’s not because the birds have been eating rice.
Source Link: Birds Are Exploding In This California City – And No One Knows Why
